


Rainy Mood

by avespika



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-09
Updated: 2016-08-09
Packaged: 2018-08-07 19:12:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7726450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avespika/pseuds/avespika
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John Smith's bad day gets worse when he trips over a young woman in the rain.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rainy Mood

John found himself battling the wind for control of his umbrella on a dreary Friday night. He’d forgotten a promise to Rigsy that he’d attend the young man’s exhibition opening and now where were no available cabs. John stalked toward the train station already half-soaked when his umbrella finally wriggled free from his grip and went sailing. He chased after it, back straight but head ducked against the rain, hair damp and falling into his eyes. He couldn’t see a damned thing. Suddenly his knees connected with something solid and he went flying, landing face down in a shallow puddle next to a large storm drain.

He sat up and shook out his limbs. Nothing broken but he was covered in mud and his mood had progressed from merely annoyed to absolutely apocalyptic. He looked around to see if he could recover his dignity, or at least his umbrella, and found a small woman with dark hair staring down at him. At least her hair appeared dark; she looked half-drowned in the fading light. She wasn’t wearing a rain coat or boots and her clothing was absolutely saturated.

“What are you staring at?” he snarled.

“I was going to offer you a hand up and apologize for tripping you, but it seems you’d rather I didn’t.”

“Well, what were you doing bent over and tripping people during the worst rain London has seen this year?”

The woman crossed her arms. “I wasn’t trying to be rude! I was looking for something.”

“You aren’t likely to find it during a downpour when the sun has set. Just go home and come back tomorrow to look.”

The woman glared at him for a moment longer and then burst into tears.

John stood and cautiously approached her. “Errr. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize reasonable suggestions could result in so much emotion.”

“It’s,” the woman took a shuttering breath, “ok. I just don’t think I’ll ever find it again and if I give up it’s over.” In spite of the rain he could see her oversized dark eyes were filled with terror. He felt awful for snapping at her before.

“What did you lose?” She opened her mouth to speak and then she was crying again, red faced and gasping for air. John felt completely out of sorts. “Ummm- if it’s your cat or dog or something then just try knocking on doors, I’m sure someone’s taken it in. Is it your umbrella? I’d loan you mine but I’m in the same situation.” The woman shook her head, still unable to speak. “Contact lens? Mobile phone? Sense of purpose?”

After John’s last suggestion the crying halted and woman rolled her eyes. “Ok, so humor works to turn off the tears, noted.”

“Only truly dreadful jokes, I wouldn’t have wanted you to think those were tears of laughter.”

“Now, Miss…”

“Oswald. Clara Oswald.”

“I’m John Smith, Clara Oswald. Now, Clara, take a nice, deep breath, and tell me what it is you’d rather die of exposure than risk not finding.”

Clara began wiping at her tears. “My engagement ring.”

“Oh, is that right? Well, let’s just call your fiancé and let him or her know what’s happened. Couldn’t hurt to have someone bring you a change of clothes, a torch, and an extra pair of eyes, right?”

Clara’s expression became even more pitiable. “Can’t do that. Danny’s been dead a year now,” she said softly.

“Oh.” John met her eyes and for a moment felt her heartbreak. She turned away. “Clara, I’m so sorry.”

She sniffled. “It’s alright. I was actually taking it off, for the first time since.” She swallowed. “Since it happened. I thought I was ready, you know, bought a chain to wear it on and everything. Then it slipped out of my fingers and rolled away. I guess I’m not so ready after all.”

John stepped closer and gave her an awkward pat on the shoulder. There was no way he could leave her here now. He’d have to make it up to Rigsy later.

“Where were you when you dropped it?”

“Outside the jeweler’s where I bought the chain, right there.” She gestured to the next shopfront over. John dropped to his knees and pulled out his phone, using the faint light of the screen to illuminate his search. “What are you doing?”

“Helping you look.”

“I thought you said to come back tomorrow?”

He looked up at her. “I didn’t know it was something so important.”

“Has your wife ever lost her ring?”

“Wife?”

“Or husband. You’re wearing a ring, so…”

“Oh, this. I used to be married. We were young, absolute pudding brains.”

“Why do you still wear it?”

John bent over a grating and looked down into the storm drain. “It’s a reminder.”

“Of what?”

“Not to give up so easily next time.”

“Has there been a next time?”

 “Not yet.” He looked over his shoulder at her and laughed. “But it’s only been twenty years.” That earned a smile from her, a sight he found much more welcoming than anything else he’d seen today. He began fiddling with the grate.

Clara crouched down next to him. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to slide this off.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Uh. I didn’t want to say but- see that little ledge thing on the opposite side, a meter or so in?”

“Yeah?”

“Look closely.” John shined his phone’s light down into the storm drain. A glimmer of silver bounced back at them.

Clara gasped. “No. No. If the water rises any more it’ll be swept away.” John gave a final push and shoved the grate to the side. He bent lower and shuffled into the drain. “John! Get out of there, you can’t- let me.”

“Non-sense Clara, I’m already half way there.”

She leaned into the grate and grabbed his hand. He felt a rush of warmth. “John, please be careful!” John reached the ring and snatched it just as the water began lapping at the ledge. He gripped the ring in the palm of his free hand and stepped back. Retreating was much more of a struggle, the vast flood of water flowing past him fighting his every motion. Clara tugged his hand, willing him forward. After a moment he finally crawled out of the drain and back onto the sidewalk.

A second later Clara Oswald was in his lap, arms around him, squeezing him like she’d never let go. Something, maybe the force of her hug or the torrent of emotions coursing through him, knocked the breath out of his lungs. When Clara finally let go he flattened out his palm and presented her with her ring.

She slid it onto her finger and sighed. “I really don’t know how to thank you.”

John smiled. “Just keep that ring on until you’re indoors. I really don’t want to have to go back down in that drain. That will be plenty of thanks.”

Clara ran a hand through her damp hair and blushed. “Actually, I think I do have an idea. Can I call you sometime? Once I’m ready, I mean. To date again.”

John had been wrong, this wasn’t a dreary day at all. He reached up and brushed the sodden bangs from Clara’s face. “Whenever you’re ready, I’ll be waiting.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> We're having a mild drought where I live so I wrote a story that takes place in the rain. 
> 
> Named after this website https://rainymood.com/ which I recommend if you share my love of thunderstorms.


End file.
